Unisys zooms in on UK corporate sales

The vendor will pump up its PC and server channel and convert to NT systems market as part of a massive restructure

Unisys is embarking on a channel restructuring exercise which includes appointing two distributors and gaining additional resellers for its PC and server business in the UK.

The channel restructure follows the vendor?s massive corporate reorganisation and is seen as a means of generating more business in the corporate sector. As part of the restructuring, Unisys is also moving out of Unix and into Intel-based NT, hoping to ship NT systems exclusively by 1999.

The Philadelphia-based vendor?s computer systems group is looking to appoint a strategic corporate reseller for its desktop business plus two master resellers for its server channel and aims to double its UK portfolio of 30 Vars. It hopes to raise the proportion of indirect business in the UK channel from 15 per cent to 100 per cent by the end of 1998.

Unisys pushes another 70 per cent of its PC and PC server business through its information services group systems integrator arm, and is looking to re-route this through a modified channel.

Its current resellers operate mainly in vertical markets. They include Anite Systems, formerly Cray Research, and legal accounting systems reseller Star at the high end and Simon Murby Associates at the low end. While refusing to divulge details of any candidates, the manufacturer hinted that it was interested in master resellers with distribution capabilities.

Simon Shiach, UK director of sales for the Unisys client/server division, said: ?We are interested in recruiting Vars that can do at least #1 million worth of business a year.?

He said the company will not be pursuing sales in the burgeoning SME market as its heritage lies within the corporate sector.